Have you ever had a friend who was severely depressed, or have you ever been badly depressed yourself? Have you heard about any teenagers whose depression led to attempted suicide, or who died from an attempt? In a private journal, write freely about your experiences with depression and teenage suicide.

Then, with a classmate, discuss any articles, books, movies, shows or social media coverage that you remember about depression and teenage suicide. Talk about what you remember, and why.

As a mom who lost her son to suicide in 2013, a Houston nurse became concerned when she heard about the popular Netflix show “13 Reasons Why.” By then her 15-year-old daughter had already binge-watched it.

In the series, the character Hannah Baker kills herself in despair, leaving audiotapes for the people she holds responsible, among them, her rapist, fickle friends and bullies. The tapes are part justification for her suicide and part vengeful accusation of her peers.

But in the month since the show’s release, a rising chorus of mental health experts contend that too many of the show’s messages on suicide are inaccurate and potentially dangerous. Superintendents and school counselors around the country have issued warnings to parents that “13 Reasons Why” glorifies suicide and could lead to an increase in copycat behavior and self-harm among vulnerable students. “We are concerned about our children watching this series without adult supervision because it romanticizes and sensationalizes the idea of suicide,” Lisa Brady, superintendent of schools in Dobbs Ferry, N.Y., wrote in an email to parents.

Its creators have defended the show, saying they aimed to make the drama helpful to struggling kids.

But for the nurse’s family, the show has been devastating. Her daughter, who found her brother’s body, has been working through depression and trauma ever since. With treatment and regular therapy, things got better — until she watched “13 Reasons Why.” Now the show has set off new thoughts of despair and suicide in her daughter, she said.

“If I’d known about the show beforehand I would have monitored her Netflix account a bit more,” said the nurse, whose name is being withheld to protect her daughter’s privacy. “If kids have a history of depression, self-harm or suicidal thoughts, I don’t think they need to watch it.”

On Friday, in a letter to parents, Robert Avossa, superintendent of Palm Beach County schools in Florida, reported that his employees have seen an uptick in self-mutilation and threats of suicide among elementary and middle school students since the show began.

Students: Read the entire article, then tell us:

— Have you watched the Netflix show “13 Reasons Why” or read the book on which it was based? If so, what did you think about the characters and the story, and why do you think the way you do?

— Do you agree with Dr. Madelyn Gould, Columbia University professor, when she says, “The series is actually depicting suicide contagion, and at the same time, it’s denying the suicide contagion exists.” Why or why not?

— Do you think the Netflix show raises awareness about teenage suicide, or glamorizes it? Does the show help or hurt people who already have severe depression or suicidal tendencies? Why?

— If you’ve watched the show, have you also watched the accompanying 30-minute documentary “Beyond the Reasons,” that includes the cast, producers and mental health experts discussing some of the show’s more difficult scenes? What is your reaction to the documentary?

— Would you know how to help a friend who had suicidal thoughts or severe depression? What would you do, and to whom would you turn for support?